Pakistan’s restive northwest erupted in violence again as a suicide car bomber struck a Frontier Corps outpost in Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claiming 11 lives of security forces personnel. The ISPR confirmed the February 16 assault, which occurred close to the porous Afghanistan frontier.
Housed in the ruins of an old madrasa, the checkpoint was obliterated by the massive detonation. Afghan news agency Khama Press reported the building’s total collapse, with bodies retrieved from under tons of debris. Social media footage showed harrowing scenes of residents using mobile lights to dig out survivors hours after dusk.
The shockwave didn’t spare civilians: a young boy in an adjacent house perished, three more sustained severe wounds, and multiple homes were wrecked. Authorities warn the death count may climb.
This comes amid a wave of terror strikes plaguing the nation. A mosque blast in the capital recently slaughtered scores during prayers. In Bannu, a motorcycle IED exploded Monday outside Miryan police station, killing two—including a child—and injuring 14 shoppers and passersby.
Bannu saw further targeting of police on February 7, leaving two hurt. PIPS’s 2025 security briefing alarms with 699 incidents logged so far, 34% up on 2024, with fatalities at 1,034 (21% rise) and injuries hitting 1,366. Total violence events reached 1,124, a 43% jump, signaling relentless militancy in the fifth straight year of deterioration.
As Pakistan grapples with rising extremism, bolstered border security and intelligence sharing with neighbors remain critical to stem the bloodshed.